Clothes-line prop.



I. P. STEED.

CLOTHES LINE PROP.

APPLIOATION FILED M123, 1908.

Patented Dec; 15, 1908.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

ISAAC P. STEED, OF ASHLAND, KENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-FOURTH TO WILLIAM L. LESTER, AND ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM W. HALL, OF ASH- LAND, KENTUCKY.

CLOTHES-LINE PROP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 23, 1908.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Serial No. 422,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC P. STEED, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashland, in the county of Boyd and State of- Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clothes Line Props, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is the provision of a prop having at one end an anchoring device, and at the other or to end a simple means for clamping a line to the prop.

The invention consists in certain novelties of construction and combinations of parts relating especiall to the clampin means as hereinafter set orth and spec ed in the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the princi le.

Figure 1 is a view in e evation. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the top end of the prop and the clamping means. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the top of the prop with d, t e seepart of the clamping plate remove tion being taken on ine :t-x of Fig. 2.

Referring to the several figures, the numeral 1 designates the body of the prop made of any suitable material, such as pine or other wood, the same in this instance being angular in cross section and approximately eight feet in length; 2, anchoring means consisting of a spike with one end embedded in the wood; 3, a flat metallic plate secured to the top end of the body portion by screws or nails 4 passed through holes in the late and with their ends seated in the woo 5, a recess in the wood below the plate; 6, a square or angular hole through the center of the plate 7, a carriage or other bolt, having threads, a head 8 located within the recess 5, and a portion thereof 9 adjacent the head angular in cross section to fit the angular hole 6 in the plate, so the bolt cannot turn about its axis and relative to the plate; 10, the slidable clamping device havmg a top portion 11 with a hole 12 for the passage of the bolt 7, a bent over lip 13, and

a vertical portion 14 disposed at right angles to the top ortion 11 and provided with an elongated s lot 15, as shown; 16, a headed screw located within the slot and having its l end embedded in the wood of the body of the prop; and 17 is a threaded butterfly nut upon the threaded end of the bolt.

Inasmuch as the screw 16 loosely engages the slot 15, the slidable device 10 can move longitudinally to the body of the prop and the top portion 11 and the lip 13 be raised from the metallic plate 3 far enough to allow a clothes line to be inserted between the said plate 3 and the top portion 11 of the slidable device. With the line so inserted the screwing down of the butterfly nut firmly clamps the line between the frictional sunaces, the lip 13 preventing the displacement of the line. As the frictional surfaces are of large area and smooth, the line will not become abraded.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawing it is obvious that I have provided a prop having a very simple top clamp, which is strong and eflicient for the purpose intended, of very cheap first cost, and not liable to derangement in use.

What I claim is:

1. A clothes line prop having anchoring means at one end and at the other end clamping means comprising a top plate 3 with an angular hole 6; a threaded bolt with a portion 9 thereof angular in cross section fitting the angular hole in the plate; a slidable device having a hole for the passage of the bolt -7 and a slot 15; a screw within the slot; and a butterfly nut upon the bolt.

2. A clothes line prop having anchoring means at one end and at the other end clamping means comprising a threaded bolt fixed in the body of the prop with the threaded portion projecting therefrom; a slidable device having a portion 11 with a hole through which the bolt passes; and a portion 14 bent at right angles to the portion 11 and provided with a slot; a screw located within the slot; and a threaded nut upon the bolt.

3. A prop having clamping means at the top end comprising a threaded bolt seated ing the portion 14 relative to the body of in the end of the body of the prop and With the prop; and a threaded nut upon the bolt. 10

the threaded part thereof projecting there- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature from; a metallic plate bent upon itself to in presence of tWo Witnesses.

5 form a lip, a horizontal portion, and a por- ISAAC P. STEED.

tion 14 at right angles to the horizontal por- 'Witnesses: tion, said horizontal portion having a hole JACOB LEICHT for the passage of the bolt; means for guid- W. L. LESTER. 

